Favorite Social Media Platforms, and Why #MFRWauthor #Bloghop

Hello, everyone!

Welcome to Week 20 of the MFRW Author Blog's 52-Week Blog Challenge.

This week, our topic is: My Favorite Social Media Platforms, and Why.

*sigh...

The most fun I tend to derive from these posts is creating the Banners for them.

LOL

IF Social Media worked the way I think that it should, I would be enamored of them all.

However, all social media networks cater to the wealthy, the affluent, the successful, and the almighty popular people.

Just like it works with people in real life.

If Social Media sites worked in an inclusive manner FOR ALL, I would choose them all, but they don't and do not work for me.

Goal-setters probably love Social Media and strive to gain recognition there, so I commend those types, believe me.

For me, it is like whipping a dead horse, but that is because I am (currently) a nobody without a following.

My content is seen by no one and easily lost among the more prominent, popular, and successful among us, so why bother?

I was shat upon by YouTube last winter when they decided to demonetize ALL of my videos because I did not meet their outrageous requirements of having at least one video with 40,000 views and/or a minimum of 10,000 followers.

So much for inclusion!

Then, they proceeded to Recommend and Push uploads by MSNBC, The Daily Show, Ellen, and other such celebrities, including Logan Paul's Japanese Suicide Forest video, which remained on the Must-Watch radar for more than a WEEK.

SO!

Today, I'll look at this topic from the standpoint of my being hugely successful in my writing career.

Were that to be the case, my go-to Social Media platform would probably be Tumblr.

As opposed as I am to the SJW aspect that has taken over the place there, I still find myself to be more absorbed in its Author-based content than I am anywhere else.

Unlike any other Social Media site out there, I spend the most time browsing on Tumblr than I do anywhere else.

Tumblr, for all its faults, flaws, and foibles, is a clean, well-presented platform where you are able to post images (cover art), your thoughts via their Blog tab, and also share a host of information or articles by other authors.

To me, these are the three main ideals for anyone wanting to show themselves to the world in order to gain recognition for their accomplishments.


A very close 2nd would be YouTube, and for the same reason, but with the added bonus of its being far more accessible and far more liked by a vast majority of the globe.

And, even if they only care about TV Celebrities and Broadcast News, it is still a terrific way to be seen, get yourself out there, and, with a lot of patience and willpower, an eventual, substantial following.

Then, your videos might get monetized, but don't hold your breath -- unless you don't mind asking your viewers to click on one of your videos, select the LOOP option, and then let it run for a full day, thus reaching their outlandish 40,000 views quota.

Still, if you seriously want to engage with your fans, going LIVE (giving them a true opportunity to meet/greet) is the way to go.

Podcasts are becoming a thing now, and being allowed to focus on one topic of discussion with your viewers seems beyond logical to me as a budding entrepreneur.

My goal in creating a YouTube channel was (and still is) to reach a large audience of Romance Readers (and authors) to discuss current issues in the marketplace, talk a lot about the likes and dislikes of all its sub-genres, and to flesh out issues I have with my own writing.

Also, with the added Social Media platform of Reddit, you are further engaging your audience by asking them to submit ideas, opinions, and suggestions on your Reddit, which you then go over at your leisure, and then create new Video content using what you've gleaned on your Reddit page.


My 3rd Place choice is Blogging via Blogger or Wordpress (or buying your own domain).

Because I can't find any other Social Media platforms that offer me the truest and most comprehensive way to show off my work, this is still the way to go for budding authors.

With a Blog, you are able to explain yourself as thoroughly or not as you wish, you are able to give examples of your work, your thought processes, and even the ability to engage your audience via polls, feedback, and requests for shout-outs using other Social Media platforms.

When it comes to needing a place to brainstorm, think, sort out, and mentally focus on your work, Blogging is the solution, hands-down.

The Down Side of Social Media I Cannot Ignore

Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have jumped on the PC bandwagon and began implementing such Neo-Marxist ideals as banning, blocking, and prohibiting what 'they' deem to be hateful, inappropriate, or otherwise forms of Free Speech.

I don't like that one bit, because I am all about Freedom of Speech and not in the habit of allowing anyone else to tell or demand that I say or do, or not say or do, anything that doesn't agree with them.

YouTube jumped on the "Family-Friendly" thing a few years ago, and I am not in agreement with that, either.

However, as being one of the Elite, I would agree that Twitter is likely to be a viable Social Media platform, so long as you bite your tongue, KISS, and stick to what you know... your novels and nothing else.

Just post about your latest novel and then run away before the Content Cops hunt you down, shame you to your millions of followers, and proceed to block your content if you dare go against anyone who doesn't share your world views on anything and everything.

Unimaginative, limited, and stifling, but probably still a good idea if you want your voice (and your books) noticed AS A POPULAR ENTITY.

Facebook lost me during the last Presidential Election, and it isn't likely that I will ever return.

I have an Author Page there and use it to help fellow authors via Triberr, but that is about it.

HOWEVER

You will be interested to know that Facebook recently implemented their Fascist Law to auto-delete any post that doesn't subscribe to their new ideal, and I've had that happen three times now via my Triberr contributions.

They aren't even my posts, just something I've shared via Triberr (ALL of which pertain to Romance Novels btw), and Facebook has banned them because they no longer meet guidelines.

Sad, sad state of affairs.

My Latest Love Affair with Social Media

As a YouTube alternative, TWITCH.tv might be the new Broadcast Playground for people like me.

It is entirely Live Stream and largely for the Gaming Community, but that doesn't mean only gamers are allowed to participate.

More and more people are using that platform to Live Stream 'whatever', which is ideal.

Unlike YouTube, Twitch.tv does not discriminate NOR ban anyone for their content, with the exception of nudity -- beware THOTs!.

PLUS, they let you play music whether it be licensed or commons!

I love watching EU PUBg there, and I've met a few who use their channel to write lyrics, short stories, fan fiction, and to mull over something about their work that's been troubling them.

On screen, they play a guitar, a synthesizer, or whatever musical instrument, or they sit at a desk and write, showing that on the screen, or they draw (like me), or paint, or they play a mindless game like Solitaire or Poker.

They don't have a ton of followers, but it doesn't stop them from Streaming, and usually within a year, their followers increase from a handful to more than 100.

(as far as Social Media goes, the best way to alert your followers is to TWEET that you are going live).

Twitch.tv is more about discord (and you are given a Discord account to share with your followers) between you and the people who want to talk to you.

If authors Live Stream, say they're stuck on a particular scene in their latest novel, their Followers (viewers) are there to help with suggestions, ideas, and answers that might not have occurred to you otherwise, and believe me when I say they are always happy to oblige... no strings attached!

Twitch.tv offers far more freedom than any platform to date, so for me, this is a definite go-to site as far as Social Media is concerned.

Plus, as an Ad-Free platform, there is the possibility of receiving Donations, and that is always a win-win.

As for content suggestions, you could be in your kitchen cooking a specialty dinner, or baking something, reading aloud a part of your own novel, or playing an online game like The SIMS, and people will want to tune in and talk to you!

Beyond cool.

The fun aspect is there, the freedom to be yourself is there, and the ideas for content seem endless, while the platform itself is very open, user-friendly, and the least prohibitive of them all.

You're afforded the added benefit of uploading your Twitch.tv videos to YouTube, but be very careful if you do that, because as I mentioned, you're allowed to listen to your favorite music by linking your Spotify or SoundCloud account,

and YouTube doesn't like that one bit.

Your Twitch.tv video will not be monetized on YouTube, and any income you do derive from it will go into the pockets of a 3rd Party instead of to you!

Most vloggers get around that by privatizing these videos so that only your most loyal followers can access them, and these are likely to be the same people who will gladly donate to you on Twitch.tv.

The Bottom Line

I think ALL aspects of Social Media are a good idea for anyone who has succeeded in life and needs to keep in constant contact with their fan base.

The fastest way is Twitter, the most thorough way is Blogging, and the most rewarding visually is with Video.

Once you've reached that coveted pinnacle in life, you are practically obliged to keep in touch with your fans!

The choice is always yours, of course, and leaving at least two options open to your fans seems wise.

My job, at present, is to continue to write so that I will, eventually, garner a following, and THEN I'll be more inclined to believe that Social Media anything is a terrific way to go.

Sorry this was so long!

As always, I thank you for stopping by and reading my post.

Please scroll down to the LinkyLink tool and click on the next in line to read about their Favorite Social Media Platforms and Why!

Blogging is an opportunity for authors to connect with readers. Despite being writers, blogging is an entirely different style of writing and often stumps us. To help our authors blog consistently, thoughtfully and with purpose, Marketing for Romance Writers is announcing the 2018 Blog Challenge. Each week, authors use our writing prompt to create a meaningful blog post. We'll be posting every Friday... join us as often as possible.
All authors with blogs are welcome to participate.